Safe
by PnayBabyGurl
Summary: Quinn's night takes a turn for the worse when she finds herself walking the streets of LA all alone. With no means of defense or escape... will she make it through the night? ::Mild violence and language::
1. Stranger

For my "Forget Me Not" readers: I know I've been doing nothing but apologizing for not updating in almost two months but I could really use your patience right now. I'm going through a tough time right now with college, my classes, and trying to figure out if I should change my major or not. Depression has hit me multiple times this pass month and I'm finding it more and more difficult to continue writing Chapter 2 of that story. BUT! Don't worry **I will update** FMN as soon as winter break hits sometime in December. I just don't have the time right now. Just know that **I will not abandon that story, okay?** :)

Anyway enough about how sucky my life is right now. This is just a little idea that came to me a few days after taking the subway at night to meet with my friends at Universal Studios for Halloween Horror Nights. Something similar (but not as scary as what Quinn's about to go through!) happened to me but I got to my friends just fine. :) I'm planning for this to just be a quick little short story, probably no more than 3 chapters. Since the idea is fresh in my mind I'll try to work on the next chapter this weekend but no promises. Anyway, enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer:** Zoey 101 and its characters belong to Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon. The only thing I own is my story ideas. (And graphics that I make! ;) Hehe)

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**Safe**

"Stranger"

_--Quogan is Love--_

Surveying the nearly desolate and foreign subway terminal as she stepped out of the train, she immediately began to regret her decision of leaving the party. Gusts of wind from the departing subway train blew her knee length purple party dress to the side, and pushed several curled locks of brown hair over her shoulder. She looked up at the sign above her and suddenly realized that there were two directions in which people could exit the terminal: stairs on the left and on the right side of her. A woman holding her child's hand walked passed her and made their way up the stairs to the right. Unsure if she was going in the right direction or not, the teen decided to follow in the same direction, hoping that she was not lost. Sure, she had attended PCA for four years but this was one area of Los Angeles she had never been to before in her life. Yeah, maybe she shouldn't have left that party.

'I could have spent my mid semester break with Logan but _no_… I wanted to spend it with my alcohol-drinking-party-loving cousins,' she thought to herself bitterly as she glared at nothing in particular. 'What were you _thinking_ Quinn_?_!'

Once she managed to get to the top of the stairs, it wasn't long until she laid her eyes upon a map on the wall near the ticket booths. A small smile graced her glossy lips as relief began to slowly seep into her. Hopefully it would tell her where to go next. The rhythmic tapping of her open-toed heels echoed throughout the entire area and seemed to be the only sound of life within those concrete walls. Where had all the people gone? Oh yeah, it was nearly midnight and most people by this time were safe and warm in their homes. Quinn decided it was best to walk faster.

While examining the map, Quinn failed to notice a set of footsteps coming towards her from behind, until a deep voice spoke up.

"Hey, you need some help there?"

Slightly startled, Quinn whirled around and came face-to-face with a very tall man. He wore a simple black shirt with baggy blue jeans that seemed to be three sizes too large; the only thing that held it up was the worn leather belt around his hips. His black sneakers were worn out: large creases stretching over the tip and dried up mud on the soles of it. From a distance it almost looked as if he had no hair, only because the black follicles were so short and blended with his similarly colored complexion.

Realizing that the man before her asked her something, Quinn looked up into his dark brown eyes with hesitation and confusion, "Um, sorry?"

"You need some help? You lost?" The man asked gesturing over to the map she had been staring at. She didn't miss the creepy way he looked her body over either.

"Oh, uh…" feeling self-conscious, Quinn crossed her arms over her chest and took a small step backwards. "N-no I'm fine." She mentally berated herself for stuttering as she tried to give, what she hoped was, a polite smile before turning back to the map. "Thanks anyway."

He took a step forward, the space between them vanishing by half, and reached out in an attempt to grab or touch her arm. Either way, Quinn was starting to feel increasingly uncomfortable, "You sure hun? You look kinda lost, I can help-"

"No," she made sure to say it more firmly this time as she took another step backwards, slowly inching towards the exit. "I'm fine, really sir." Without even waiting for him to speak again, she turned around and quickly climbed up the stairs that lead to the streets above, trying to look calm even though all the warning signs in her body were telling her to make a run for it.

A cold breeze blew through the moonless night causing goose bumps to rise up on her skin. Although she shivered involuntarily, the breeze felt refreshing and helped calm her nerves somewhat. Right from the moment he spoke to her, Quinn couldn't help but feel the tightening of her throat as fear began to crawl into her veins and felt the strong urge to get away. She wasn't dumb. She knew the dangers of being on the streets late at night, especially if you were a teenage girl. She knew that when she got home her aunt and uncle would probably be angry with her for making them worry – they _were_ in charge of her during her stay with them. She also knew that when she would tell Logan about this, he would be upset with her too but it would only be because he would be worried for her safety.

'Logan,' she sighed sadly as she thought of the one person who she wanted more than anything to be with right now. 'I wonder what you're doing right now…'

Quinn would have stayed at the party and waited until her cousins finally decided to go home. She would've been fine with talking to random people there and making new friends. She was a friendly girl. She would've even been fine with watching everyone else have a good time while she sat on the sidelines. But one thing that she was _not_ fine with, was having a drunk guy hit on her half the time they were there, especially when she felt his hands start wandering southward from their position on her shoulder. Drunk or not, he deserved that slap she gave him on the cheek and the nerve pinch that followed right after. She would have done more if only she had her zap watch and ankle laser with her. Unfortunately, her cousins insisted that she leave them at home because they 'didn't match' with her outfit. Damn cousins. When she had left her cousins at the party, they hadn't even noticed that she left, being too busy either flirting or making out with a guy. Where had her cartoon-watching-kickball-playing cousins had gone to? Oh, that's right. High school. Man, growing up sucks sometimes.

The map down in the subway hadn't helped much because it only showed which trains went to what place. The good news, however, was that now she was above ground her cell phone was working. She decided to call her aunt and uncle first. Hopefully they could pick her up from… wherever she had managed to get to. There weren't much people around and most of the stores around her had long closed for the night. Seeing light coming from a gasoline station, Quinn decided to stand over there while waiting for her aunt or uncle to answer the phone.

"Where are they?" she asked herself quietly, becoming frustrated after redialing their home number for the third time. She would've felt horrible calling and waking them up at this hour but she had to get home and they were her only hope. Still no answer. 'Ugh, this is _not_ happening!'

"Okay, Quinn, you just need to relax okay?" she tended to talk to herself when she was stressed out. "They're probably out or something. It's fine. Who else can you call to pick you up?"

Logan's smiling face instantly came to mind and she found herself missing him more by the second. She really wanted to call and have him pick her up but she didn't want to interrupt his time with his mother. After his parents split up he hardly ever got to see her except for holidays and some birthdays, so she knew how important this time was for him and she wasn't about to ruin that. So calling her boyfriend was out of the question. Ugh, who else to call? A soft beep and vibration caught her attention causing her to look at her cell phone.

'_Low battery'_ flashed at her before the device completely shut off automatically.

"No! Ugh, great…" she held her temple trying to ease the approaching headache. How could this night get any worse?

"What's wrong hun?" eyes widening at the recognition of that voice, Quinn turned around and found the same man from the subway terminal standing no more than ten feet away from her. "Your phone not working?"

Apparently, it could.

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**Please review!**

I apologize for any mistakes you may find. I wrote this in about two or three days and didn't bother reading through it more than once and my supposed beta-reader has vanished. O.o She hasn't replied to my previous message so I don't know what's going on. So, I'm currently looking for a new beta-reader. :)

Until next time!

Always, Mina


	2. Alone

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and for understanding what I'm going through right now. I really appreciate it guys. :) I hope you all enjoy this chapter because I worked extra hard over the weekend and even stayed up tonight just to have this chapter done for you guys. Hehe

**Disclaimer:** Must I repeat this for every chapter? Nope, I do not own Zoey 101 or anything related to it. I do own this story idea though. :)

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**Safe**

"Alone"

_--Quogan is Love--_

All of Quinn's senses were on high alert as she regarded him, her mind frantically trying to think of a plan of escape if need be. Only half of his face was illuminated, she noticed, while the rest of him was hidden in shadow. Had he been following her ever since she left the subway? That seemed to be the only plausible reason; it was highly unlikely that he intended to come to a gas station at this time of night, especially without a car. Seeing half a smile come to his face, the feeling of dread began to resurface within her as wild thoughts flew around in her mind. Looking around, she realized that hardly anyone was in the vicinity, except for a few stray cats here and there but much good they would do. This situation wasn't looking too good for her. She would have to think of something fast. Gathering her quickly fleeting courage, she spoke up.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" she took a step back, he took two forward. "Why are you following me?" He gave a low chuckle.

"Hey, hey," he said in what she guessed was supposed to be a soothing voice, his palms facing her as he continued to grin. "Calm down, baby. I just wanna help, is all."

"I neither asked for nor need your help, sir," she didn't miss how his gaze slowly ran over her body before meeting her eyes again. Why had she decided to wear a dress again? She had plenty of other cute party outfits that she could've paired with dark jeans. Again, damn her cousins for choosing her outfit for her and damn herself for allowing them to convince her to wear it tonight. She looked over to the convenience store in hopes of seeing someone there who could help her. Unfortunately, the lights were off and it looked as if the person working there had left a while ago.

Quinn groaned mentally, 'What do I do now? C'mon Quinn! A smart girl like you should be able to think of something!'

While she had been distracted, the man took the opportunity to reduce the distance between them even further, taking three or four large steps over to her. Noticing movement in her peripheral vision, she snapped her gaze back to him and gasped unintentionally when she realized how close he had gotten. If she ran now, maybe she could… no, that wouldn't work. She was certain that he could outrun her even if she wasn't wearing heels at the moment. She could always try fighting him off, but that idea would work so much better if she only had one of her Quinnventions. She was certain that he was significantly stronger than her. What was she suppose to do!?

"C'mon baby girl, I can help you out."

Quinn, despite her fear, glared at the man, really getting annoyed of him calling her that – especially since the only person who she allowed to call her that was Logan. "Stop calling me 'baby', you pig!"

"Okay!" He held up his hands in the air in an attempt to show her that he meant no harm. "Relax, girl, damn. Kill a guy for trying to help."

Her heart throbbed loudly against her ribcage as she panted slightly from her previous outburst. Collecting her scattered thoughts, Quinn managed to calm herself down enough to analyze the situation at hand. Here she was all alone, somewhere in a part of LA that she's never been to before, in the middle of the night wearing only a party dress and heels. She didn't have a cell phone, much money, or any way to get home. To make matters worse, here was some stranger following her trying to supposedly 'help' when all she wanted was for him to leave her alone.

If she could only kick herself for getting into this situation she would have.

"Look, uh… miss. I'm not gonna hurt you." Ha, that's what they all say before they knock you unconscious, tie you up, and lock you up in a basement where no one can hear your screams for help. "I just-"

Suddenly hearing the sound of sirens in the distance, a newfound feeling of hope began to grow within her. 'Of course! Go to the police and get some help!' That should have been her first thought. Looking back at the man before her, she saw her chance of escape. He, too, had heard the sirens and had his back turned to her, listening carefully to the sirens trying to gauge their distance. Using this distraction to her advantage, Quinn glanced down the street to her left, planning her route to minimize the chances of ending up at a dead end. The street was wide and slightly descended as it curved to the right, leading to more closed shops, grocery stores, and transitioning into tall office buildings. Hopefully if she twisted and turned enough down that street she could lose him when he pursued her, which she was certain he would do. Leaning on her right foot and slowly turning to her left, she glanced back at the man to make sure he wasn't looking before taking off down the street, allowing gravity to help her run faster.

"Hey! Girl!" she heard him call behind her, increasing her desire to put as much distance between them as possible. "Stop!"

She didn't stop.

She kept on running, kept on going even though her feet were starting to ache because heels weren't exactly the ideal type of shoes to be running in. She kept on going even though the cold wind of the October air was stinging her throat. She kept on going even though she had no idea where she was headed. She just kept on going, fearing that if she did stop or slow down, the man would be right behind her. The orange glow of the street lights passed by in a blur as the wind cooled her heated skin and dried her throat. The dark sky above her was relatively empty except for a few gray clouds concealing the few visible stars that dotted the night. Had it not been for the street lights, Quinn was sure that she would be running around almost in complete darkness.

Her arms pumping, sweat forming on her forehead, lungs burning from exhaustion; Quinn didn't know how long she had been running but she was sure it was far enough away from that man. She couldn't hear his voice behind her anymore so hopefully, that meant she lost him. Even if it wasn't far enough a distance, her body wouldn't let her go any further as it forced her to stop out of sheer exhaustion. Seeing a bench situated next to a bus stop, she used what energy she had left to drag herself over to it and leaned heavily onto the edge, panting and trying to regain her breath. She tried to swallow but her throat had gone completely dry and she merely ended up in a coughing fit. Once it subsided, she walked over to the other side of the bench and plopped down. Her body was grateful for the rest.

Several minutes passed and it wasn't long until her body completely relaxed and cooled down. This, however, made the breeze feel even colder than it already was and Quinn couldn't help but shiver, goose bumps rising on her porcelain skin once again. She looked at her wrist watch (not 'zap watch', unfortunately) and read that it was nearing 1am already.

"What a horrible night this turned out to be…" she said with a sigh, pulling her purse onto her lap.

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she closed them tightly, forcing the sting to go away. She refused to cry. Somehow, she would find a way out of this situation and she would be home soon. Once she got home, she would take a nice long, warm shower then snuggle up in her warm bed with her favorite alpaca doll (Logan had won it for her at a carnival) while she talked to her beloved boyfriend on the phone. At the thought of hearing his voice again, Quinn opened the button of her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Although she knew that it wouldn't turn on, she imagined seeing Logan's picture pop up as it did every time he called her. The thought of him helped keep her small candle of hope lit and made her even more determined to stay positive. For now, the good news was that she was finally away from that creepy man. That was one step closer to getting home, wasn't it?

Too busy with her thoughts as she turned her phone around in her hands, Quinn didn't even notice the car coming down the street. She also didn't notice how the driver slowed down as he got closer to her… or how he completely stopped in the middle of the empty street as he watched her.

She didn't know she wasn't alone anymore.

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**Please review!**

I'm the one writing this and even I'm getting scared! Haha Anyway, please excuse any mistakes you may find. It's about 2:30am, I have to get up in 5 hours, and I have to get to bed so I didn't have time to read this over. G'night! Reviews would be nice to see in the morning. ;) Hehe

Until next time!

Always, Mina


	3. Fight

This is the longest chapter of the story yet, so hopefully that makes up for it's lateness.

**Disclaimer:** Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon. Not little ol' me.

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**Safe**

"Fight"

_-Quogan is Love-_

Quinn was on edge; her heartbeat beginning to pick up speed once again. She was being watched, that much she was sure of. She could just _feel _eyes on her. Problem was Quinn wasn't all too sure if this truly was a warning from her intuition or merely a product of her paranoia. Not too long ago, she had been running down that desolate street and not once did she see anyone walking by. Sure, a couple cars had zoomed past her but the last one had disappeared down the road over ten minutes ago. This was a very quiet street apparently. Well, then again, it was well pass 1am.

The distinct sound of rustling paper suddenly caught her attention. She whipped her head around trying to locate the source of it, her heart beating louder and louder in her ears. It was coming from the small alleyway located in between an electronic store and a small clinic, just a few feet from the bus stop she was sitting at. Hoping with every fiber in her body that it wasn't that man again, Quinn gathered what courage she had left, stood from the bench, and cautiously began to tiptoe over. Wincing every time she stepped too quickly and too loudly, she came to the conclusion that her heels were not the best shoes for sneaking up on someone either. Damn useless shoes. If they weren't her favorite – and currently _only_ – pair of heels, she'd have done away with them long ago.

The rustling didn't stop even as she neared the corner of the brick wall and Quinn wasn't all too sure if she should take that as a good sign or not. There was a moment where she debated with herself whether or not she should call out first or just silently take a peek at whoever, or whatever, was around the corner. She decided on the latter. In this situation, it was better to have the element of surprise on her side rather than openly making her presence known. With her heart beating in her ears and breath coming out in short quiet pants, Quinn placed a shaky hand on the brick wall and slowly leaned over the edge, prepared to dash down the street once more if it was the man from earlier. At first, all her brown eyes could see was darkness but once she began to get accustomed to the lack of light, she saw exactly what it was that had been making that noise.

Leaning on the wall with a hand to her chest and releasing the breath she didn't even notice she had been holding, Quinn couldn't help but roll her eyes at herself. 'It's just a stray cat in the garbage. Get a grip on yourself, Quinn!' Shaking her head at her paranoia, she made her way back over to the bench – or, _would have_ gone back if it weren't for the sudden blaring of a horn. Startled, she let out an involuntary shriek and clutched her purse to her chest. There before her, was a gentleman sitting in a white car across the street.

He smiled apologetically, "Sorry, did I startle you?" She didn't reply; still trying to ease her racing heart. "Uh, okay… do you need some help, young lady? It's awfully late for someone like you to be wandering the streets, especially in this neighborhood. It's quite dangerous."

Finally regaining her voice, Quinn replied, "Um, no thanks. I can manage." The last part was directed more towards herself than him but no matter how much encouragement she gave, Quinn, although she hated to admit it, was beginning to lose hope. This could be her only chance of finding a way back home. Her cell phone was dead, she hardly had any money (she _was_ only planning to attend a party, what did she need to bring extra money for?), no one else seemed to be around, and there seemed to be no other way home. Well, not unless someone she knew by chance drove by and noticed her (Oh, how she wished that someone could be Logan). Quinn even considered going back to the party. Even if she did go back, though, there was a good chance that her cousins either left already or were too drunk to even know where they were. That thought sent a wave of uneasiness and worry through her being. She desperately hoped for the former to be true rather than the latter. Maybe she should go back…

The man, who had not budged from the spot he was in, gave her a friendly smile, completely disregarding her earlier statement. "Are you sure?"

Quinn nodded and gave a weak smile. Would this guy just leave her alone already? She wasn't stupid; she knew the dangers of getting into a stranger's car and wasn't about to be one of those-

"Because there's a police station a couple blocks down the road, I can take you there if you like."

This caught her attention immediately. 'Police station?' Could he be lying? Quinn wasn't all too sure, being that this part of the city was absolutely unfamiliar to her. What if he was lying? He could just be saying that to persuade her to get into his car. On the other hand, what if he was telling her the truth? She _had_ heard sirens in the distance earlier… maybe there was a police station nearby? Then again, what if there wasn't? Was she really willing to chance it on the streets alone? Was she really willing to chance it by getting in a car with a complete stranger?

"Um, I'm sure it isn't that far. I heard some sirens just awhile ago," she said uncertainly before chewing on her lower lip, "Could you just give me directions on which street it's on, sir?"

He gave a low chuckle then paused before looking back up at her, "Trust me; it would be better if I just dropped you off there myself. It would take far too long for you to get there on foot and I'm sure your feet are aching from walking in those shoes." Well, he was right about that. Her feet would definitely be in need of a nice cold ice bath once she got home. If she just continued to ignore the pain though, she was almost certain that her aching feet could stand another couple blocks. He made a motion with the hand that was resting on the steering wheel then motioned with his head, "C'mon, sweetie. Get in. I swear I don't bite." If that last part was supposed to be a joke, Quinn didn't find it funny one bit.

A few moments passed with nothing else being said and it wasn't until another chilling gust of wind blew her hair over her eyes that Quinn began to cross the street, towards the waiting vehicle – not without hesitation, of course. She stood before the passenger's seat door, second thoughts, fears, and doubts running amok in her brain. The man leaned over and looked at her through the open window.

"What's the matter? Aren't you gonna get in?" he asked kindly, lifting bushy brows in question.

Now that the distance between them was shorter, Quinn could clearly see how he looked like. He looked to be around his forty's, wearing beige Dockers trousers that were held up with a black leather belt, a black and red pinstriped dress shirt with the first two buttons undone, and a maroon colored tie that loosely hung around his neck. He still looked fairly young, if one ignored the frown lines around his mouth and the wrinkles on his forehead. The large graying mustache on his upper lip aged him quite significantly too, despite his crown having a full head of hair. Quinn wasn't one to judge people by appearance but, if asked, he did _look_ trustworthy enough, if not presentable. Besides, the police station was only a few blocks away, right? The car ride wouldn't even last five minutes. Probably.

The opening of a car door snapped Quinn out of her stupor. He stepped out then shut the door and it was then that Quinn noticed that he had a sling and cast on his left arm. She didn't even notice that his arm was like that earlier. Walking around the back of his car, the man came over to the passenger's side and opened the door, waiting for her to step in. Time to make a decision. Looking from the man to the seat waiting for her, Quinn reluctantly began to walk ever-so slowly towards the open door. The smile on the man's face never left but it wasn't enough to reassure her nerves.

With her hand holding onto the roof of the car, Quinn couldn't help but ask, "Uh, what happened to your arm?"

He glanced at it before giving her another smile, chuckling low under his breath, "Oh, nothing to worry about; just a little accident at work. Don't worry; it hasn't affected my driving skills in the least bit." His driving skills were the least of her worries but she didn't voice her concerns, merely nodding in understanding and dropping the subject all together. Pushing her anxiety aside, Quinn stepped into the passenger's seat, made sure her dress wouldn't get caught in the door, and held her purse firmly in her lap. The sound of the door shutting sounded louder than usual, as well as the thumping of her heart that felt as if each beat was echoing inside her ears. Her breath became out short, her mind only vaguely registering the fact that her grip on her purse was causing nails to dig into flesh, knuckles turning white. Every muscle in her body was rigid and tense but inside, was a whole different story. Her mind was working overtime as was her heart, but Quinn was helpless to do anything. She couldn't relax, couldn't ignore the fact that _something_ felt amiss. Turning around in her seat (the first thing her body allowed her to do ever since stepping into that vehicle, which had a strange smell to it.) Quinn noticed that the man was taking an awfully long time to get back inside the car. She was uncertain if that was a good or bad sign. When he finally did, though, he had a cloth in his right hand and gave a small cough into it once he had shut his door. Before he could even face her, the moment Quinn heard that door close, she quickly threw hers open and practically jumped out, finally giving into her instincts. Every fiber of her being was telling her one thing and one thing only: get the hell out of that car.

"What are you doing?" he asked, a strange tone in his voice, "Get back in the car."

She shook her head, pushed the door shut, and stepped away, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience sir, but I changed my mind. I think I'll just walk there. Could you kindly give me directions to the police station? I'm not all that tired, really. I'm positive I can manage on my own."

He let out a sigh before replying, "No, you can't. Now, just get back in the car so I can drive you over there." Irritation and impatience began to surface, not only in his voice but also on his face. The muscles in his neck became more noticeable as he tightened his jaw. "I don't have all night and it's already late as it is."

He didn't have all night? Ha, well at least he had a method of transportation unlike she did. If he was such in a hurry and wanted to leave, why couldn't he just_ tell her_ where the hell the police station was so they could both stop going around in circles? All this talking was going nowhere and even Quinn, despite her fears and anxiety, was beginning to feel aggravated.

"Well, if you would just _tell me_ where this police station is, then we could both be on our way home."

Screw the pleasantries, it wasn't getting her anywhere.

Without a warning, the man threw open his door and stepped out of the car. He didn't bother to hide his irritation this time, "Look, miss, I'm just trying to do you a favor by helping you out here. I didn't need to stop by when I saw you. I could have just kept on going and ignored you, but I didn't." He slowly made his way around the car, pushing the handkerchief into his pocket. "I _stopped_. I stopped because I am a good person and I didn't want to leave an innocent little girl like you," he motioned to Quinn using both hands, "to be walking around at this time of night in the streets. I am a good man like that. A good man because I stopped when I saw you. Now, here you are being ungrateful and you won't even accept my help!" Pausing after his outburst, the man coughed and seemed to regain his composure – though that initial friendly smile never returned. He pulled the tie completely off his neck and placed it on the hood of the trunk of the car before addressing Quinn again, "I'm sorry. It's late and I had a long day at work. Please, miss, get in the car. I need to get home to my family; I'm sure they're wondering where I am right now."

Giving him a strange look as she observed him, Quinn shook her head and gave a firm answer, "No thank you. If you have to get home then go, I'm not stopping you. I told you already, mister, I can manage and I don't need your help. So, thanks for the offer but no thanks." With that said Quinn turned on her heels, strangely feeling more confident than she had been earlier, and began to walk away in the opposite direction. It was nice to feel in-control; she felt less frightened than she had been earlier and more hopeful even.

Unfortunately, that feeling was short-lived as she was suddenly and roughly grabbed by the arm and forcefully twisted around, to come face-to-face with the same man.

"Get in the fucking car right now!"

"What are you doing! No! Get off- get away from me!" she began to struggle, trying to break her arm free from his bruising grip as he began to pull her over to the car. Quinn leaned all her weight in the opposite direction and pushed her heels into the ground, shaking her arm around in the process trying to loosen his grip. Even with her slim figure, the man was still having trouble pulling her, especially since he was handicapped. To add more weight in her favor (and to prevent injury to herself), Quinn used her free hand to pull the one in his grip in the opposite direction.

"Let go of me you deranged lunatic!" she could feel him getting tired. Good thing he could only use one of his arms. It was actually an advantage and a disadvantage (for Quinn) at the same time. An advantage, obviously, because her assailant only had one limb to restrain her, but also a disadvantage because she couldn't nerve pinch him on that elbow. His other one, however, was exposed. Mentally smirking, Quinn released her other hand was just about to nerve pinch him when, surprisingly, he released her. If only she hadn't been so shocked at what she saw, she would have made a run for it the instant she felt his grip loosen.

There on the floor, was the sling _and_ cast, removed and discarded with hardly any trouble at all. It had been a fake cast the entire time. But that's not what shocked Quinn the most. No. That's not what sent chills down her spine, causing goose bumps to appear all over her body. That's not what sent terror to her wide brown eyes and the gasp that escaped her lips. It was what fell _out _of the fake cast and sling that scared her the most. Even without reading Krabbé's novella (which she had indeed read back in the seventh grade for a book report), just by looking at the small bottle, she knew exactly what the man had been planning to do all along. The glass vial kept rolling until it tapped against the foot of the blue mailbox, the clear liquid inside rocking the bottle ever-so slightly. Quinn continued to stare at it, almost like in a trance, until she finally looked up into the man's dark eyes. Her fears were confirmed when he pulled his handkerchief out from his trouser pocket. Oh shit.

In an instant, she found herself struggling for freedom once again, screaming at the top of her lungs, but this time it was proving to be more difficult than the first time. She clawed and pushed at him, trying to get him away from her but he held fast, securing her wrists in his iron grip. She wasn't thinking strategically or trying to think rationally anymore, no. She was fighting for her life; screaming, pushing, kicking, scratching… anything. She just wanted to get him off and away from her. Struggling to contain her flailing limbs and shut her up, he released one of her wrist only to twist her other arm around behind her, their hands the only thing separating his chest from her back. The heat radiating off his body as he held her to him made her sick; it was worse than the pain coming from her wrist. She didn't even realize that's she was crying until her vision became so blurry that she couldn't even tell where anything was anymore. After blinking her tears away, the salty liquid cascading down her flushed cheeks, Quinn instantly stopped her screaming only to clamp her own free hand over her mouth and nose. His arm had come around her shoulder, carrying with it the damp piece of cloth. He firmly pressed it against her hand – the only thing saving her fighting chance from unconsciousness – knowing full well that she couldn't possibly hold her breath for more than a few moments.

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**Please review!**

I'm sorry for the slow updates guys, but I had a horrible last semester and I'm paying for it this sem. =/ (Not to mention that I've also been sick for a couple of days) I really have to do better this semester so expect for updates to be slow.

Please excuse any mistakes you are likely to find in this for this has not been beta'd. I stayed up all night finishing this up (which in itself is a miracle because I've been feeling horrible lately due to a cold) and only had enough time to read it over once. Only two more chapters to go! Oh, and yes, I've decided to extend this story into five chapters instead of three. :) You'll see why. -hint- look at the first letter of every chapter's name -hint- Hehe

One last thing: yes, I know that chloroform cannot actually knock somebody out like its exhibited in films and literature but it still makes for a creepy scene! So just use your imaginations and pretend that it actually does work. It did in The Vanishing. Haha

A bunch of reviews (hopefully not just one sentences) in the morning would be great. Well, more like afternoon because that's likely the time I'll wake up. Ugh.

Until next time!

Always, Mina


	4. Escape

I am horrible. It's almost been a year since I published this and it's not even finished yet! Ahh, I'm extremely sorry guys! :( Don'tcha just hate it when school gets in the way of writing? I do. Ugh. Anyway, I hope you all can forgive me! I'm not too fond of this partially because of the shortness of it (read the end author's note to find out why else) but hopefully the next chapter will make up for it. I'll let you guys know now, the next (and last) chapter is where the Quogan-ness will be. :)

**Disclaimer:** The man you're looking for is Dan Schneider, not me! I'm not even a man to begin with... Haha

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**Safe**

"Escape"

_--Quogan is Love--_

The human body is an amazing machine; built with the natural animal instinct of survival, of fight or flight. Even with the faintest of hopes, a person's will to live is not easily destroyed. The human body wants to live, wants to survive, and will do all that it can to do so.

Thrash. Crouch. Push backwards.

She had to think fast and act even sooner. The situation was worsening by the minute; her hope fading just like the clarity of the dim orange light coming from the lamppost, swirling and mixing not unlike something one would see in an abstract painting.

Struggle. Push forward. Twist.

Lungs burning from the insufficient amount of air going into them, heart rapidly beating from exertion, and losing the battle for consciousness, she was almost certain that there was no hope of escape. Almost certain. Her willingness to survive wouldn't fade that easily; she had too much to live for. At the ripe age of eighteen, she still had her whole life ahead of her. Graduating college, starting a career, winning the Nobel Prize, getting married, and starting a family. She wasn't ready to go yet; it wasn't_ her time_ to go yet. Thank goodness she was an intelligent resourceful girl.

Pushing back all her negative thoughts, Quinn cleared her mind enough so she could think. Since her assailant was obviously physically stronger than her, trying to escape solely with force was proving to be fruitless. So she had to use the advantage she had over him: her wit. Seeing the blue mailbox a few feet to her right, Quinn considered using it as a means of escape. She figured that she could probably use enough force to pull the man towards it and, if everything went as planned, might be able to knock his skull on it hard enough to knock him out. Or at least release her and disorient him long enough for her to escape. That plan, however, was quickly discarded after she caught a glimpse of a small object on the brick wall. The protruding metal loop looked strange and out of place from its position, three feet above the ground.

If she were to… yes, it would be a direct hit. Now all she needed was enough force. With one of her arms being held forcefully behind her, bending her knees was proving to be more painful of a task than usual. But she endured the pain in her wrist, biting her lip underneath her palm, dug her heels into the concrete floor, and shoved him with as much force as she could muster in her current state. The man was forced backwards, dragging Quinn along with him, and cried out in pain when his momentum was stopped by the brick wall and a metal object painfully stabbing him mid back. The pain spread and he responded by arching his back with a cry, unknowingly releasing his hold on her. Her plan was a success.

The moment his arms loosened Quinn dropped to her hands and knees, coughing and inhaling much needed and much welcomed air. Once her thankful lungs stopped burning, she looked over her shoulder and saw that the man was still writhing against the wall in pain, the cloth lying forgotten at his feet, before he slid down to the ground trying to ease his pain. There was no time to waste; this was her chance to escape! Pushing herself up to her feet, she struggled to keep balance, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over her. Out of pure desperate need for air, during the struggle Quinn had tried to lift her hand that was covering her mouth, ever so slightly, in an attempt to make just enough room for air to come through. Unfortunately, the fumes from the chloroform managed to float in as well causing her vision to blur and head to spin. It wasn't enough to knock her out but still had an effect on her.

Once the light-headed feeling subsided, she started to run back up the street from where she came but instead, was sent crashing down to the floor. The man had grabbed her ankle and pulled her back into his grasp. She cried out, sharp pain shooting up from the ankle that twisted the wrong way and the knee that hit the ground after. The sudden impact left her stunned for a moment, mind barely able to register the fact that she was back to square one. Fighting, with all the strength she possessed in her eighteen year old body, for her life. The assailant slowly crawled over her, turned her over, used his weight to pin her down, and sat on her thighs to immobilize her kicking legs, one large hairy hand pinning both of hers above her head.

She began to scream, louder than she ever had before, "No! Get off me! Get off!" The force holding her wrist down was too tight for her to break or slip out of and the one hundred and seventy pounds sitting on her legs weren't helping either. She was effectively held down on the floor. "Someone help me please!" she cried in desperation, fearing what he would do to her now. Fresh tears ran down the sides of her face. Fear and a sense of hopelessness clutched at heart as she again began to doubt that she would escape. It was well into the night and not even close to sunrise. Who would be out at this hour to help her?

"Shh!" He shushed loudly, bringing his face closer to hers, and ordered, "You better shut up and stop struggling bitch if you know what's good for you!"

Her simultaneous screaming and crying didn't dissuade him. Tears continually streamed down her face and a sheer layer of sweat was thickening on her forehead and chest. Quinn could feel her remaining strength and energy slowly draining from her. She was exhausted and knew that her body couldn't keep fighting much longer. The adrenaline wasn't enough and the fear was as strong as ever.

(1)Suddenly, just as the faces of all the people she cared and loved the most began to flash through her mind, followed by all the things she wished she could've said to them, wanted to experience with them, and past memories that she had with them, the weight holding her to the floor was lifted. Quinn lay there on the floor, her mind still trying to process the suddenness of it all, while her assailant was next to her, also on his back, arching and groaning in pain. Above her stood her savior; a man dressed in a simple solid black shirt, baggy blue jeans, and worn out black shoes on his feet. It was the man from the subway.

He dropped the wooden board in his hand and held out his hand to her, "Hey you okay there, hun?"

Quinn, still shaken, mutely took the hand offered and slowly got to her feet. She must've looked quite horrible and disheveled by the way he scrunched up his face as he looked her over, keeping one hand on her shoulder to help her stand. Her tears were just barely starting to lessen, leaving moist black and grey streaks of dirt and mascara on her face. With tired, tearful red eyes she looked up into his dark eyes and saw genuine concern etched into his dark face. She had been wrong about him from the start?

"Now don't you worry none, miss" he reassured, prompting her to walk down the street. "Dave'll get you home, ok."

It was proving to be somewhat difficult to walk; what with her knee and ankle hurt like it was and the slight lightheaded feeling in her head. It sting with every step she took; her ankle giving her more pain than her scraped knee and she had to squint her right eye just to ease her oncoming headache and dizziness. He was patient though, despite the rush they were in to get out of there before the other man recovered, and didn't make her walk faster than she could handle. Just as they passed the blue mailbox, he turned to look over his shoulder and saw that the man he had hit was slowly beginning to get up. With her in the state that she was, he couldn't force her to make a run for it and if he were to carry her the rest of the way, the other man would surely catch up to them in no time. He knew what he had to do. Quickly helping her over to a nearby light post, he made sure she was steady on her feet before letting go.

"Get away from here and go someplace safe, you hear?" he instructed, looking directly into her eyes. Her glasses were long gone, probably laying broken on the sidewalk somewhere, but up close she could still see him clearly. As clear as her moist red eyes would allow. Breathing still slightly irregular, Quinn nodded slowly without a word, unsure of what he was planning to do. With one final look, he left her and approached the other man who was now leaning on his car, one hand on the roof. The man in the black shirt – now identified as Dave – tried to calmly convince the other to leave her alone but he refused to do so, saying that she would certainly turn him in to the police. Dave then tried a different approach.

"Look man, just let the girl go home and I swear to you she won't talk. Alright? You have my word."

The man scoffed then sneered, "After you hit me in the back you wanna try to negotiate with me? What do you take me for, an idiot!? Your '_word'_ is worthless to me!"

"What'd you want me to do man!? You were attacking the poor girl!" Dave yelled back then pointed to the man's car. "Now if you just leave right now I can assure you, the girl won't talk, okay?"

The man lowered his gaze to the floor and shook his head with a smirk on his lips, then said with finality, "She's not going anywhere."

It all happened so fast that Quinn couldn't do anything but watch, frozen on the spot, with wide eyes. Without warning, the attacker pulled back his right fist and slammed it into Dave's cheek, sending him staggering sideways towards the brick wall. Then, in large quick strides, began to make his way over to Quinn, not before pulling a pocket knife out of his trousers. Her eyes widened once she saw the light reflect off the knife he had in his hand and began to move backwards with a slight limp. She looked around for something, anything, to either protect or arm herself with, not daring to turn her back on him fearing for what he could do. But there was nothing. There wasn't a time when she wanted her zap watch or ankle laser more than that moment, because what chances did her nerve pinch stand to the knife pointed at her? She absolutely detested displaying weakness but as a new wave of fear clutched at her rapidly beating heart, Quinn found herself unable to do anything but limp backwards, stare at the predator with wide fearful eyes, and shake her head 'no'. The man lunged at her and she flinched, shutting her eyes awaiting impact but instead heard a cry and the sounds of a struggle.

What met her vision was the scene of Dave hitting the other man's hand against the corner of the metal trash bin to force him to drop the weapon, before he rammed a fist into his face several times and shoved him in the opposite direction. He twisted around to look at Quinn.

"Whatta ya waiting for!? Run! Get outta here!" Dave shouted earnestly, waving her off.

Quinn nodded and took a few steps backwards, her eyes moving back and forth from Dave and her assailant. Dave continued to watch her leave but kept taking glances behind him, kicking the man in the abdomen once when he saw him getting up. When he turned back to Quinn, it was the last time he would look into her eyes.

Before Quinn turned around completely to depart, she paused and looked at her savior one more time. "Um… t-thank you," she said genuinely grateful in a soft voice. He responded with a small smile and a quick nod before turning his back to her completely.

Once she removed the only heel that was left on her feet – the other lost somewhere during her struggle earlier that night – Quinn held it in her hand and began walking as fast as she could down the winding road, barefoot. As the distance between her and the two men increased, the sounds of their fight decreased, uplifting her feelings somewhat. At least she escaped that psycho's clutches, and it was all thanks to, ironically, Dave – the man who she had been initially running from and trying to evade. It was strange how things worked out sometimes.

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Quinn wasn't all too sure how long she had been hobbling down the street but judging from her throbbing feet and injured ankle, she was pretty sure it had been for quite a while. Leaning on a black wall of a tall building, she decided to take a short break. Even though she hadn't been running she still felt tired and sweaty. Her eyes widened in surprise when she checked the time on her wristwatch. Time had flown by so fast without her noticing; in less than a couple of hours it would be dawn. Just the mere thought of that made Quinn realize just how exhausted her body was and she released tired sigh, tilting her head back against the cool glossy exterior of the charcoal colored edifice. It felt extremely good to be able to relax a bit after everything that she'd been through but Quinn knew that she had to keep moving and looking for help; preferably from a police station but even a good Samaritan willing to help a poor girl out would do. Once her breathing had evened out, Quinn pushed off against the wall and continued down the street. But not even five minutes passed by until she started to notice something strange…

Taking a look at her surroundings, she could almost hit herself for not noticing sooner that she was now out of the main street and in a residential area. When had she gotten there?

Half growling in frustration and half sighing, she turned around and sat down on the short concrete steps of a random house. Her feet ached too much for her to continue walking back and her head was beginning to ache. Bringing her knees up to her chest and holding them close with her arms, she leaned her head to the side against the white wooden fence. Her mind began to wander as it usually did whenever she had nothing to do but think. That wasn't much help though because as soon as she had time to think, her mind wandered back to her family and the one guy who she was dying to see. The sting of tears soon followed and this time Quinn made no effort to repress them, allowing the salty liquid to trickle down her cheek toward her chin and down her neck.

The unforgiving chilly wind picked up and made her shiver but she paid no attention to it. It wasn't long until the exhaustion caught up with her and she fell into a dreamless sleep, right on the hard concrete steps. If she had only stayed awake for a few moments longer, however, she would have noticed the shadow of a person walking down the sidewalk towards her…

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**Reviews are much appreciated!**

(1) This part was originally supposed to be longer but I cut out a chunk of it because it just seemed to interrupt the flow of the entire scene.

I have no idea why I had such a hard time writing this. Probably because I hate how weak Quinn seems. Ugh. But that couldn't be helped. I mean, she's still a young girl barely in college. Without her zapping stuff and ability to nerve pinch the guy, how does she stand up against a guy like that? So yeah... didn't mean to make her seem so weak and helpless but I was trying to make this as realistic as possible. Which is also why Logan wasn't the one who saved her. Sorry guys. Lol I would've loved that too but c'mon, what are the chances of him suddenly appearing out of nowhere in the dead of night and just happens to be in the same area so he can save his Quinn?

If anyone notices any mistakes or whatever feel free to kindly point them out. I'll make the appropriate changes as soon as I am able to. :)

Until next time!

Always, Mina


	5. Safe

Hi, I'm back just to post this up. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed "Safe" as well as my other Zoey 101 stories, but as you probably can tell, I've moved on from the fandom. I apologize to anyone who was waiting patiently (or impatiently) for me to update my incomplete stories, but after graduating college and starting to work, I'm finding it difficult to write at all lately, much less for Zoey 101. Who knows, maybe one day I'll get the urge to write for this fandom again. Highly unlikely unless I watch the episodes again probably, but you never know.

Anyway, this has been sitting on my computer for who knows how long already, but I just never posted it because I had intended it to contain more Quogan fluff than what I ended up with. However, after thinking it through and as the author, I feel it's perfect where it ends. So, I'll stop babbling aimlessly now so you can enjoy the end of this story.

**Disclaimer**: I don't think I really need to repeat myself again for the fifth time...

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**Safe**

"Safe"

-_Quogan is Love_-

As her senses started to become more aware of her surroundings, Quinn gradually awoke. The quiet, peaceful darkness that surrounded her was replaced with the soft chirping of birds and a pale bright light. Slightly puffy brown eyes slowly fluttered open and squinted when they met the source of the light – a window shrouded by a thin layer of white curtains. They matched the white walls of the small room she was in. Wait… walls of a room? Scrunching her brows, Quinn slowly tried to sit up but felt a soft weight upon her chest holding her in place. A white sheet and a pale green comforter covered her from shoulders to toes, her body snuggly tucked within its warmth. She was in a bed and a room that wasn't hers. Soon, confusion began to settle within her as her mind tried to remember what had happened prior to her passing out.

'Wh… where am I?' she wondered, as she attempted to dissipate the fog in her mind. 'I… I don't remember… how did I get here?'

With her heart beginning to pick up its pace, panic started to build within her as the previous night's events came rushing back like a wave. The fact that she was in a stranger's house did not help the situation either. Wild ideas and possibilities began to swim through her mind, only exacerbating her anxiety so she shut her eyes and took a deep calming breath. Now was not the time to panic. Pushing the covers off her, Quinn quickly sat upright but soon regretted doing so when the feeling of lightheadedness suddenly washed over her and the room began to tilt. She groaned, and held a hand to her head in an attempt to alleviate the feeling and felt that her forehead was hot to the touch. Now was certainly _not_ the best time to come down with a fever, but there it was. Not much she could do about it now, but what she _could_ do was try to figure out where she was. She didn't even want to think of the possibility of being in that man's house.

Not without difficulty, she slowly crawled to the edge of the bed then stood up, holding onto the edge of the mattress for support when her dizziness suddenly intensified. She leaned on the bed for a few moments with her eyes tightly shut in an attempt to stop the spinning, and once the feeling receded, started walking towards the door beside the bedside table. Turning the silver door knob of the white wooden door, Quinn was relieved to find that it was not locked and slowly opened it, then peeked outside. A hallway is what her eyes were greeted with – that much she could tell without her glasses. After keeping still for a few moments and not hearing any signs of life within her hearing range, she pushed down her feelings of anxiety and ventured into the hallway as quietly as her bare feet on carpet could take her.

She stumbled down the hallway until the wall she had been touching with her hand ended and a staircase started. Further down to her left, the hallway continued and led to three more doors. To her immediate left against the wall was a long row of shelves that stood no higher than her waist. Two vases, large books, random papers, and a lamp were the only objects Quinn could make out. No pictures of whoever owned the house she was in, unfortunately. She would have to figure out who lived there and where she was another way. She decided to risk going down the stairs. It didn't sound like anyone was home anyway, considering how quiet it was. Tightly holding onto the railing with both hands to keep herself steady, Quinn took a step down the stairs. If it weren't for the sting of pain that her knee gave, Quinn would have completely forgotten about her injuries on her legs. Her ankle was feeling strangely warm and better, though she wasn't exactly sure why. Just as she was about to take another step down, she heard one of the doors further down the hallway open followed by a loud manly yawn. Her heart leaped to her throat and she gasped. 'Shit!'

"Huh? Hey!" he called when he noticed Quinn's form descending the stairs.

In a panic, Quinn quickly tried to go down the stairs by skipping steps, ignoring the pain coming from her ankle and knee. The lightheaded feeling returned to her with full force causing her to wince in pain, but she forced her body to continue. Hearing the man's voice quickly approaching behind her and his quick and heavy steps descending the staircase caused adrenaline to pump through her veins once more, and her heart rate sped up. She refused to be caught in the clutches of that lunatic again!

"Hey, stop!" he called out from behind her. Ha, fat chance that was happening! What was it with her pursuers constantly telling her to stop when, clearly, that was the _last thing_ she wanted to/was going to do?

Following the handrail where it turned, she continued down the second flight of stairs until she reached the bottom. The moment she reached the last step, however, she suddenly felt someone firmly grip her arms and hold her in place. Without listening to the person's voice, Quinn immediately began to struggle and scream wildly. She shoved the body in front of her until she felt their grip release her then turned to run to the right. Seeing what looked to be the front door, and her way to freedom, she made a mad dash to the door as best as she could with a splitting headache, an injured ankle, and scraped knee. Before she even took as much as three steps, however, she felt strong arms grab her around the waist and pull her backwards.

"No! Let me go!" she cried, trying to pry their arms away from her as her screams continued to echo throughout the entire room. Struggling, however, was proving to be futile because the arms holding her only tightened even more. Her mind vaguely registered the fact that the man who had been chasing her down the stairs was now speaking to the one holding her and soon she found her feet being raised off the ground. The arms around her tightened as they lifted her off the ground and began to carry her away. Quinn started to kick wildly and claw at the arms around her waist, trying to get the person holding her to drop her. They did. But she soon felt their hands on her forearms and a warm body before her, guiding her backwards until her back hit a wall. The kicking of her legs was immobilized when she felt the person slide one leg between hers and used their body weight to pin her in place, effectively keeping her arms incapacitated as well. Even with all the crying she did the night before, tears still managed to slip down her cheeks as fear and hopelessness once again clutched at her heart. Giving up, she stopped struggling and screaming, her throat thanking her for the relief. Her body was still recovering from her traumatic experience the night before and with her recent exertions at the attempted escape, caused her to feel even worse, especially with the fever she was running.

"Please," she begged brokenly in between sobs, "let me go. I want to go home…" She kept her eyes shut and head lowered, refusing to look at her captor.

A pause of silence came over the room where nothing could be heard but Quinn's sobs. Slowly, she felt the body against her ease back but not enough to give her room to make another run for it. Besides, it seemed that her aching and weakened body was having none of that. One hand released one of her arms and placed a finger underneath her chin, gently urging her to raise her head. She hesitantly complied and slowly opened her blurry tearstained eyes. What met her vision were gentle brown ones that looked far too familiar. Once her vision adjusted to the person before her, a small gasp escaped her lips and she felt her heart skip a beat and her head spin, disbelieving what she was seeing. Was this real? Could she just be hallucinating due to the fever? She desperately hoped for the former to be true.

"Quinn," he said softly in that gentle tone that she loved, and just hearing it brought a fresh flow of tears to her wide eyes. His hand moved to cup the side of her face as his thumb wiped the liquid away, "Don't worry." It all felt so real; his touch, his warmth, his voice. She desperately hoped this wasn't a dream; not some cruel illusion that her mind created to save her from reality, a reality where she really was caught by that man and being held captive in his home.

Slowly and with hesitation as if she were afraid if she were to touch him he would disappear, she lifted her free hand and reached for his face. Her breaths came out short, throat constricted with emotion, and heart thudded against her chest rapidly. He held her hand in his when she touched his cheek and leaned into it, not once breaking eye contact with her. Taking her hand in his, he removed it from his face only to bring it to his mouth to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"It's me, Logan." With that she knew… this was not a dream.

Relief never felt so good as it washed over her, and this time her sobs did not stem from fear and hopelessness. She threw her arms around him and cried out of joy and relief as he welcomed her embrace with just as much intensity, allowing a few tears to fall from his eyes.

Quinn was where she belonged: safe in his arms.

**End.**

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And there you have it folks. Hope you enjoyed!

Until next time!

Always, Mina


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